Diltiazem Teva 30 mg

/ Teva

Dosage should be individualized. Start with 30 mg 4 times daily, before meals and at bedtime. The dosage should be gradually increased to 240 mg (given in equal, divided doses 3-4 times daily) at 1-2-day intervals, until optimum response is obtained.
There are no available data concerning dosage requirements in patients with impaired renal or hepatic function. If the drug must be used in such patients, titrate with particular caution.
Concomitant Drug Therapy: Sublingual nitroglycerin may be taken as required to abort acute anginal attacks during diltiazem therapy. Diltiazem may be safely co-administered with short- and long-acting nitrates, but there have been no controlled studies to evaluate the antianginal effectiveness of this combination. For use with β-blockers or digoxin, see Precautions.
Use with caution in titrating dosages in patients suffering from impaired renal or hepatic function, since dosage requirements are not available.

Angina Pectoris due to Coronary Artery Spasm: Diltiazem is indicated in the treatment of angina pectoris due to coronary artery spasm. It has been shown effective in the treatment of spontaneous coronary artery spasm presenting as Prinzmetal’s variant angina (resting angina with ST-segment elevation occurring during attacks).
Chronic Stable Angina (Classic Effort-Associated Angina): Diltiazem is indicated in the management of chronic stable angina. It is also effective in patients who cannot tolerate therapy with beta-blockers and/or nitrates or who remain symptomatic despite adequate doses of these agents. In short-term controlled trials, Diltiazem has been effective in reducing angina frequency and increasing exercise tolerance, but confirmation of sustained effectiveness is incomplete.

Known hypersensitivity to the drug or to any other ingredient of the preparation.
Breastfeeding.
Sick sinus syndrome or second or third degree AV block, except in the presence of a functioning ventricular pacemaker.
Hypotension (less than 90 mm Hg systolic).
Congestive heart failure.
Sever bradycardia (below 40 beats per minute).
Left ventricular failure with pulmonary congestion.
Acute myocardial infarction and pulmonary congestion, documented by X-ray on admission.
Concurrent use with dantrolene infusion because of the risk of ventricular
fibrillation.
Combination with ivabradine.

Hypotension: Decreases in blood pressure associated with diltiazem therapy may occasionally result in symptomatic hypotension.
Congestive Heart Failure: Although diltiazem has a negative inotropic effect in vitro, hemodynamic studies in humans with normal ventricular function have not shown a reduction in cardiac index or consistent negative effects on contractility.
Worsening of congestive heart failure has been reported in patients with preexisting impairment of ventricular function. Experience with the use of diltiazem in combination with β-blockers in patients with impaired ventricular function is limited. Caution should be exercised when using this combination.
Cardiac Conduction: Close observation is necessary in patients with reduced left ventricular function, bradycardia (risk of exacerbation) or with a first degree AV block detected on the electrocardiogram (risk of exacerbation and rarely, of complete block).
Diltiazem prolongs AV node refractory periods without significantly prolonging sinus node recovery time, except in patients with sick sinus syndrome. This may rarely result in abnormally slow heart rates (particularly in patients with sick sinus syndrome), or second or third degree AV block (0.4%). A patient with Prinzmetal’s angina developed periods of asystole (2-5 seconds) after a single dose of 60 mg diltiazem. Concomitant use of diltiazem with β-blockers or digitalis may result in additive effects on cardiac conduction.
Acute Hepatic Injury: In rare instances, symptoms consistent with acute hepatic injury including significant elevations in enzymes such as alkaline phosphatase, creatinine phosphokinase (CPK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), have occurred with diltiazem. These were reversible on drug discontinuation. Drug relationship was uncertain in most cases, but probable in some. These laboratory abnormalities have rarely been associated with clinical symptoms; however cholestasis, with or without jaundice, has been reported. Rare instances of allergic hepatitis have been reported.
General Anesthesia: In the case of general anaesthesia, the anaesthetist must be informed that the patient is taking diltiazem. The depression of cardiac contractility, conductivity and automaticity as well as the vascular dilatation associated with anaesthetics may be potentiated by calcium channel blockers.
Psychic Effects: Treatment with diltiazem may be associated with mood changes, including depression. Early recognition of relevant symptoms is important, especially in predisposed patients. In such cases, drug discontinuation should be considered.
Gastrointestinal Effects: Diltiazem has an inhibitory effect on intestinal motility. Therefore it should be used with caution in patients at risk of developing an intestinal obstruction.
Diabetes Mellitus: Careful monitoring is necessary in patients with latent or manifest diabetes mellitus due to a possible increase in blood glucose.
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility: A 24-month study in rats at oral dosage levels of up to 100 mg/kg/day and a 21-month study in mice at oral dosage levels of up to 30 mg/kg/day showed no evidence of carcinogenicity.
There was also no mutagenic response in vitro or in vivo in mammalian cell assays or in vitro in bacteria. No evidence of impaired fertility was observed in a study performed in male and female rats at oral dosages of up to 100mg/kg/day.

Adverse reactions are generally not serious and rarely require discontinuation of therapy or dosage adjustment. In clinical trials of diltiazem and diltiazem SR formulations involving over 3200 patients, the most common events (i.e, greater than 1%) were edema (4.6%), headache (4.9% ), dizziness (3.5%), asthenia (2.7%), first degree AV block (2.2%), bradycardia (1.6%), flushing (1.5%), nausea (1.4%), rash (1.3%), dyspepsia (1.2%), palpitations, lower limb oedema, constipation, gastric pain, malaise and erythema.
See prescribing information for full details.

Notes: Due to the potential for additive effects, caution and careful titration are warranted in patients receiving diltiazem concomitantly with other agents known to affect cardiac contractility and/or conduction.
Diltiazem is extensively metabolised by CYP3A4, and as a result serum levels of
diltiazem may be:
• Increased by concomitant usage of CYP3A4 inhibitors such as H2 antagonists (e.g. cimetidine, ranitidine) and protease inhibitors (e.g. atazanavir, ritonavir)
• Decreased by concomitant usage of CYP3A4 inducers such as barbiturates
(phenobarbital, primidone), phenytoin and rifampicin.
Diltiazem is also an inhibitor of CYP3A4, and may therefore increase serum levels of CYP3A4 substrates such as benzodiazepines (especially midazolam and triazolam), carbamazepine, ciclosporin, cilostazol, ivabradine, statins (simvastatin, atorvastatin, lovastatin), sirolimus, tacrolimus, erythromycin and theophylline. Care should be exercised in patients taking these drugs. Concomitant use of diltiazem with cilostazol should be avoided.
Concomitant use with ivabradine is contraindicated due to the additional heart rate lowering effect of diltiazem to ivabradine.
Diltiazem/β-adrenergic Blockers/Calcium Channel Blockers: β-adrenergic blockers and calcium channel blockers both have negative chronotropic and inotropic effects.
These combinations are advantageous in some patients (e.g. hypertension, angina);
however, they may be a problem in others (e.g. sinoatrial disease, conduction
defects, heart failure).
Combination therapy can, however adversely affect cardiac function, because of the depressant effects on myocardial contractility or AV conduction. Therefore, if combined therapy is used, closely monitor the patient and reassess continued use periodically. Patients with pre-existing conduction defects should not receive the combination of diltiazem and beta-blockers.
Administration of diltiazem concomitantly with propranolol in five normal volunteers resulted in increased propranolol levels in all subjects and bioavailability of propranolol was increased by approximately 50%. If combination therapy is initiated or withdrawn in conjunction with propranolol, an adjustment in the propranolol dose may be warranted.
In contrast, there appears to be no effect on the pharmacokinetics of atenolol, a renally cleared drug. In view of the known pharmacodynamic interactions between these classes of drugs, this effect may be of clinical relevance.
Dilitazem/Drugs which May Induce Bradycardia/Other Antiarrhythmic Drugs (e.g. Amiodarone): There may be an additive effect (increased depression of cardiac conduction with risk of bradycardia and AV block) when diltiazem is prescribed with drugs which may induce bradycardia or other anti-arrhythmic drugs (e.g. amiodarone and beta blockers).
Amiodarone should be used with caution with diltiazem particularly if there is suspicion of underlying dysfunction of the sinus node, such as bradycardia or sick sinus syndrome or if there is partial A-V block. Sinus arrest and a life-threatening low cardiac output state developed when amiodarone was added to a regimen of diltiazem and a diuretic. It has been suggested that diltiazem and amiodarone have additive adverse effects on sinus node function and myocardial contractility. There is an increased risk of bradycardia with this combination. Caution is required when amiodarone is combined with diltiazem, particularly in the elderly and when high doses are used.
Diltiazem/Rifampicin: There is a risk of decreased diltiazem plasma levels after initiating therapy with rifampicin. The patient should be carefully monitored when initiating or discontinuing rifampicin treatment.
Diltiazem/Benzodiazepines (e.g. Midazolam, Triazolam, Diazepam): Diltiazem significantly increases plasma concentration of midazolam and triazolam and prolongs their half-life. Special care should be taken when prescribing short-acting benzodiazepines metabolised by the CYP3A4 pathway in patients using diltiazem.
Diazepam has been reported to cause a significant decrease in diltiazem plasma levels. The average decrease in diltiazem concentration was between 20 and 30%.
Three out of eight patients showed decreases which were greater than 50%.
Diltiazem/Buspirone: In 9 healthy subjects, diltiazem significantly increased the mean buspirone AUC 5.5-fold and Cmax 4.1-fold compared to placebo. The T½ and Tmax of buspirone were not significantly affected by diltiazem. Enhanced effects and increased toxicity of buspirone may be possible during concomitant administration with diltiazem. Subsequent dose adjustments may be necessary during coadministration, and should be based on clinical assessment.
Dilitazem/ Corticosteroids (e.g Methyprednisolone): Concomitant administration has resulted in the inhibition of methylprednisolone metabolism (CYP3A4) and inhibition of P-glycoprotein. The patient should be monitored when initiating methylprednisolone treatment. An adjustment in the dose of methylprednisolone may be necessary.
Diltiazem/Alpha Blockers: Concomitant treatment with alpha-blockers may produce or aggravate hypotension. The combination of diltiazem with an alpha-blocker should only be considered with the strict monitoring of blood pressure due to the risk of increased antihypertensive effects.
Diltiazem/Rimonabant: Co-administration with diltiazem results in an increase in serum rimonabant levels.
Diltiazem/Short and Long Acting Nitrates: Increased hypotensive effects and
faintness may be seen due to additive vasodilatating effects. In patients treated with calcium channel antagonists, the addition of nitrate derivatives should only be carried out at gradually increasing doses.
Diltiazem/Phenobarbital/Phenytoin: As with all drugs, care should be exercised when treating patients with multiple medications. Diltiazem undergoes biotransformation by cytochrome P450 mixed function oxidase. Coadministration of diltiazem with other agents which follow the same route of biotransformation may result in the competitive inhibition of metabolism. Dosages of similarly metabolized drugs, particularly those of low therapeutic ratio, or in patients with renal and/or hepatic impairment, may require adjustment when starting or stopping concomitantly administered diltiazem, in order to maintain optimum therapeutic blood levels.
Diltiazem/Quinidine/Theophylline/Carbamazepine: Pharmacologic effects may be increased due to inhibition of hepatic metabolism possibly by diltiazem. The increased plasma levels cause neurotoxic symptoms which resolve several days after stopping the calcium blocker. Concomitant administration of diltiazem with carbamazepine has been reported to result in elevated serum levels of carbamazepine (40% to 72% increase) resulting in toxicity in some cases.
Diltiazem/Tricyclic Antidepressants: Diltiazem may increase the bioavailability of tricyclic antidepressants.
Diltiazem/Cimetidine/Ranitidine: Cimetidine or ranitidine increase the bioavailability of diltiazem. Patients on diltiazem should be monitored closely when adding cimetidine or ranitidine and, if necessary, the dose of diltiazem should be reduced.
Diltiazem/Statins: Diltiazem is an inhibitor of CYP3A4 and has been shown to significantly increase the AUC of some statins. The risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis due to statins metabolised by CYP3A4 may be increased with
concomitant use of diltiazem. When possible, a non CYP3A4-metabolised statin
should be used together with diltiazem, otherwise close monitoring for signs and symptoms of a potential statin toxicity is required.
Diltiazem/Cyclosporin: Cyclosporin plasma levels may be increased by diltiazem, and renal toxicity may occur. Therefore, cyclosporine concentrations should be monitored, especially when diltiazem therapy is initiated, adjusted, or discontinued.
Diltiazem/Lithium: Diltiazem and lithium appear to act synergistically. Neurotoxicity has occurred with coadministration, even when the lithium level was in the therapeutic range.
Diltiazem/Digoxin: Serum digoxin levels may be increased upon concomitant
administration of calcium channel blockers and digoxin. Although some studies
suggest that no significant interaction occurs with diltiazem, caution is required and digoxin levels be monitored when initiating, adjusting, and discontinuing diltiazem therapy to avoid possible over or underdigitalization.
Diltiazem/Anticoagulants/Aspirin/Salicylates: Anticoagulants, aspirin and salicylates are highly protein-bound drugs. Caution should be exercised upon concomitant administration with diltiazem, since serum levels of these agents may be increased.
Diltiazem/Antihypertensive Agents (e.g. ACE Inhibitors)/Alcohol: Additive hypotensive effects may result upon concomitant administration. Therefore, caution should be exercised, and dosage adjustments of either agents may be necessary.
Diltiazem/Inhalation Anesthetics: Concurrent use with calcium channel blockers may produce additive hypotensive effects. Therefore, caution should be exercised when inhalation anesthetics are administered during surgery, to patients on dialtiazem.
Diltiazem/Encainide: Serum encainide levels may be increased without any change in the levels of the active metabolites of encainide.
Diltiazem/Fentanyl: Severe hypotension or increased fluid volume requirements have occurred in patients receiving nifedipine and fentanyl concomitantly; this interaction should also be considered for all calcium blockers.
Diltiazem/Dantrolene Infusion: Lethal ventricular fibrillation is regularly observed in animals when intravenous verapamil and dantrolene are administered concomitantly.
The combination of a calcium channel antagonist and dantrolene is therefore
potentially dangerous.

Pregnancy: There are very limited data from the use of diltiazem in pregnant patients. Therefore, diltiazem is not recommended during pregnancy or in women of childbearing potential not using effective contraception.
Use diltiazem in pregnant women only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
Lactation: Diltiazem is excreted in breast milk. Diltiazem levels were measured in both serum and milk in lactating women. One report suggests that concentrations in breast milk may approximate serum levels.
These data show that diltiazem is freely diffusible in milk but it is not known whether it is harmful to the newborn. Therefore, breastfeeding while taking this drug is contraindicated.
See prescribing information for full details.

The oral LD50 in mice and rats ranged from 415 to 740 mg/kg and from 560 to 810 mg/kg, respectively. The intravenous LD50 in these species was 60 and 38 mg/kg, respectively. The oral LD50 in dogs is considered to be in excess of 50 mg/kg, while lethality was seen in monkeys at 360 mg/kg. Toxic diltiazem blood levels in man are not known. Due to extensive metabolism, blood levels after a standard dose of diltiazem can vary over tenfold, limiting the usefulness of blood levels in overdose cases. There have been 29 cases of diltiazem overdose in doses ranging from less than 1 g to 10.8 g. Sixteen of these reports involved multiple drug ingestions.
Twenty-two reports indicated patients had recovered from diltiazem overdose ranging from less than 1 g to 10.8 g. There were seven reports with a fatal outcome; although the amount of diltiazem ingested was unknown, multiple drug ingestions were confirmed in six of the seven reports.
Manifestations: Nausea, weakness, dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and slurred speech. Marked and prolonged hypotension (possibly leading to collapse) and bradycardia (with or without isothythmic dissociation) , both of which may result in decreased cardiac output. Junctional rhythms and second- or third-degree AV block, cardiac failure, and atrioventricular conduction disturbances may be seen. Death has occurred.
Treatment: If the patient is seen shortly after oral ingestion, employ emetics or lavage and cathartics. Treatment is supportive. β-adrenergic agents or IV calcium have been used effectively. Although calcium appears to reverse adverse hemodynamic effects, it may not always reverse electrophysiological toxicity. Cardiac failure is treated with inotropic agents (isoproterenol, dopamine or dobutamine) and diuretics.
Monitor cardiac and respiratory function. In patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (IHSS), use α-adrenergic agents (phenylephrine hydrochloride,
metaraminol bitartrate or methoxamine HCl) to maintain blood pressure; avoid
isoproterenol and norepinephrine. Since these agents are highly protein bound,
dialysis is not likely to help.
The following are treatment guidelines for acute cardiovascular adverse reactions:
Symptomatic Hypotension Requiring Treatment
Primary treatment (by IV route) consists of dopamine, norepinephrine,
metaraminol, isoproterenol or calcium. Supportive treatment consists of IV fluids administered in the Trendelenburg position.
Bradycardia, AV Block, Systole
Primary treatment (by IV route) consists of isoproterenol or norpinephrine (not in patients with IHSS), atropine sulfate,(0.6-1 mg) calcium gluconate (10% solution), and, in addition, cardiac pacing. Supportive treatment consists of IV fluids (slow drip).
Rapid Ventricular Rate Due to Antegrade Conduction in Flutter/Fibrillation with WolffParkinson-White or Lown-Ganong-Levine Syndromes
Primary treatment consists of DC cardioversion and procainamide or lidocaine (by IV route). Supportive treatment consists of IV fluids (slow drip).

Storage: Store in a dry place below 25°C.